Method and apparatus for reclaiming tobacco from rejected cigarettes

Apparatus for reclaiming tobacco from rejected cigarettes, each cigarette having a wrapper and two ends, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a hopper for the rejected cigarettes;
• b) means for transporting the cigarettes comprising a fluted drum rotatable about a center axis and having a plurality of fluted depressions regularly distributed about its periphery;
• c) means for restraining single cigarettes;
• d) means for applying a jet of compressed air to expel the tobacco from each restrained cigarette;
• e) a first collector means for receiving the ejected tobacco and a second collector means to receive the cigarette wrappers;
• f) a receiving drum having receiving holes axially aligned with the flutes in the fluted drum the receiving drum having a front face and a rear face, the front face facing the fluted drum and the rear face facing away from the fluted drum, the receiving drum coupled to the fluted drum so that the drums rotate together about the center axis;
• and
• g) suction means for moving each cigarette singly from the fluted drum into the corresponding receiving hole so that one end of the cigarette is positioned in an area of the receiving hole near the rear of the receiving drum;
• wherein:
• h) the restraining means comprises at least one restraining needle per receiving hole, the needle being radially moveable with respect to the center axis so that the needle can move into engagement with the end of the cigarette in the receiving hole;
• and the apparatus further comprises:
• i) coordinating control means comprising the control ring axially extending from the receiving drum and divided into predetermined angular zones for applying one of (1) positive air pressure, and (2) negative air pressure, in accordance with a working sequence of the apparatus.